Americans have shifted their food buying decisions from ‘form-based’ choices to ‘product benefit-based’ ones.* Consumers want to benefit from nutrients such as calcium and omega-3s incorporated into their foods, but these nutrients can present some particular challenges. At Nellson, we help our customers anticipate, address and solve these challenges so that they can provide successful nutrient-enhanced products to today’s wellness-minded consumers.

*Please note: this and all italicized information is sourced from: “Top 10 Functional Food Trends,” Elizabeth Sloan, Food Technology, April 2018.

Calcium and calcium absorption are top of mind for many consumers

54% of consumers tried to add more calcium to their diets last year and the market is expected to reach $1.2 billion in 2018. Nutritional bars and powders contribute to daily calcium intake with lower levels spread throughout the day, for:

• steadier supplementation and better absorption
• a more pleasant way to meet daily calcium needs

Calcium’s Challenges

High daily recommended intakes of 1000mg and greater can prove challenging from a formulations standpoint, since a full day’s worth of calcium in a nutrient-enhanced product can take up a lot of the product’s ‘real estate’.

Our Solutions

• We work with a wide variety of calcium-containing ingredients, expertly combining them to meet or exceed customer requirements and consumer trends.
• For example, our customers can ease formulation concerns and maintain consumer appeal simply by including more modest amounts of calcium; 100mg yields a ‘good source of calcium’ claim and 200mg an ‘excellent source of calcium’ claim.
• We advise our customers on nutritionally-savvy combinations, such as incorporating vitamin D and vitamin K to increase calcium absorption.

Omega-3s are a go-to ingredient

42% of consumers sought more omega-3s in their diets last year. Omega-3 fatty acids provide convenient nutrition in bars and shakes and:

• are credited with helping lower the risk of cardiovascular disease
• contribute to overall eye, heart and brain health
• have become a go-to ingredient for consumers

Omega-3s’ Challenges

Although omega-3 fatty acids have great health benefits, their shelf stability can present challenges since they are prone to oxidative rancidity and can produce off notes affecting both nutritional quality and sensory acceptability over time.

Our Solutions

To minimize rancidity and keep products containing omega-3 fatty acids as fresh as possible, we:

• ensure that formulation, packaging and supply chain work together
• formulate to protect our customer’s bars rich in omega-3s from the detrimental effects of air, heat and light
• use natural antioxidants such as vitamin E and mixed tocopherols

Find out more. We help you move nutrition forward, with successful nutrient-enhanced products that meet the demands of today’s wellness-minded consumers.